


softly

by sofsomi



Series: trees will bloom, ice will melt [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, First Dates, Fluff, Holding Hands, M/M, Nostalgia, Romance, mentions of nomin, mentions of norenmin being roommates, renjun's birthmark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-19 17:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22002118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofsomi/pseuds/sofsomi
Summary: while listening to renjun speak, minhyung’s eyes fall onto renjun’s birthmark.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Mark Lee
Series: trees will bloom, ice will melt [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582486
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	softly

Who knew everything would fall into place?

Here they are, sitting inside a café. They’re in a corner, by the window and they’ve been talking, whispering and laughing nonstop for the past three hours.

Minhyung just got out of the studio while Renjun finished his painting progress for the day and they’ve been talking about nothing and everything all at once.

It's easy talking to Renjun. Minhyung forgot how it was like. It seems that they genuinely miss each other. A lot.

Their conversations range from silly childhood adventures, pubescent mishaps, to epiphanies of adulthood. Both of them did not expect that they would wind up in a café in the middle of Gangnam and talk about such things with the person they hadn’t seen in years.

“You seriously believed me when I said that a watermelon would grew inside your stomach because you ate a seed.” Renjun laughed so loudly, he ended up snorting as he apologized for the people around them who had no problem giving them the stink eye.

Minhyung thinks that his laughter is endearing.

“Hey, you sounded convincing! I was so worried – every time I wanted to drink, I’d stop myself because I kept thinking that the water would help the watermelon seed grow bigger and bigger.”

With that, Renjun guffaws and Minhyung can’t help but laugh along. He shushes him, hoping that they won't get kicked out of the café. Thankfully, they're still halfway done with their coffee (which would have them an excuse to stay longer). They had been too preoccupied with their endless stories and useless facts.

In a span of three hours Minhyung learned a lot about Renjun, and most likely, Renjun learned a lot about him, as well.

For instance, Minhyung now knows that Renjun shifted courses and that he fought his parents since he didn’t want to study business, because he wanted to pursue his passion for art.

Or, how Renjun still believes that aliens exist. He animatedly talks about the documentaries and recent evidence that he stumbles upon websites and magazines, waving his hands fervently around like he were some kind of maestro. (Minhyung shared evidence that he read from a random article because apparently, he believes aliens exist, too)

Or, how Renjun has two roommates – one is Na Jaemin, who is a photography major that is _"Too loud and pretty"_ as Renjun charmingly put it. Then, the other is Lee Jeno, who is a textiles major _"Too kind for his own good, if you ask me"_ . Renjun mentioned that those two have been a couple since high school. But, the three of them had been good friends ever since, that is why they decided to get an apartment together during their second year of college.

While listening to Renjun speak, Minhyung’s eyes fall onto Renjun’s birthmark, the one on his right hand. It's perched perfectly on top of the table. He remembers his birthmark. He remembers how strangers would often ask why Renjun has a bruise on his hand, when in reality, it was just his birthmark. The strangers that asked always made Renjun's blood boil.

“Renjun-ah.”

“Yes, hyung?”

“Your birthmark.”

Renjun tilts his head in confusion but immediately understands as he follows Minhyung’s gaze. He grins, his eyes turn into crescents. “Well, at least you don’t mistake it as a bruise, unlike some people, remember?”

Minhyung chuckles quietly, “You were so fed up with strangers asking you about it. You explained it so much that I was able to memorize it word-for-word."

The older boy pauses, shyly eyeing Renjun who listens intently, "I made sure to say it for you. You know, for the sake of your sanity.”

Renjun claps his hands as he laughs with his whole body. Another habit that Minhyung loved as a kid. And still, a habit that he loves now. “Why, thank you, hyung. I didn’t know that.”

There’s a pause. Suddenly, it’s quiet. Everything and everyone around them began to fade away.

No more customers that chattered too loudly and no more baristas that greeted the people that came inside and hastily made coffee.

There were no more pastries, cups, tables, spoons, forks and plates.

Everything faded into the background.

It’s just them.

“Renjun-ah.” He repeats.

“Yeah, hyung?”

He breathes in. Then, he breathes out.

“I-is it okay, if I hold your hand?”

Hesitant. He’s hesitant. Of course, wouldn’t anyone be? To ask your childhood friend, your childhood crush, if you could hold hands with them?

Yes. His childhood friend is his childhood crush. It was no secret. He even had the conviction to propose to Renjun as a kid.

They were in the Lees backyard and they were playing inside a small playhouse that Minhyung's aunt gifted him in Christmas. It was only them and they were playing pretend.

Inside the playhouse, Minhyung was cooking while Renjun was painting. When Minhyung walked to him and gave Renjun his pretend kimchi stew, he asks,

_"Jun-ah, when we grow up, will you marry me?"_

Renjun gave him the brightest smile that day, his eyes sparkled. _"We'll just have to wait and see, hyung."_

He would love five-year-old Minhyung's confidence back. Who knew he had the balls to ask Renjun, the prettiest boy in town, maybe the whole world, to marry him at the age of five?

Now, he's a stuttering idiot. It even took him a while to muster the courage to ask Renjun if he could hold his hand.

 _Pause._ Longer this time.

He waits.

Renjun smiles and hums _"yes"_.

Minhyung smiles back as he slowly places his hand on top of the table. As he continues to listen to Renjun ramble on about his painting project, he holds Renjun’s hand into his as he softly touches his birthmark, caressing it delicately with his thumb.

Renjun doesn’t move his hand away. In fact, as he rambles, he smoothly intertwines their fingers together.

Minhyung's hand fits perfectly in Renjun's.

Renjun's hand fits perfectly in his.

Everything felt right.

 _Warm,_ Minhyung thinks.

He can remember how often they held hands when they were kids. They held hands when they ran away from bullies, they held hands when they watched a horror movie by accident, they held hands when they swam together, and they held hands under the covers because Minhyung was going away the next day.

This is the first time they held hands that meant something different and it is both frightening and invigorating.

Holding hands like this, in a room full of people while they are in their own little world. Just them, no one else.

It’s quiet and it’s safe.

He feels safe with Renjun.

Renjun feels the same way.

**Author's Note:**

> yay, another fic! you have no idea how happy i am that i've been writing a lot <33 i think that markren are the softest :'( and i want them to be together again... i know the year end shows had been there to sustain me but i've been watching their old videos together as well. oof, they're so cute :^( markren deserves love. also, i love renjun's birthmark soso much, it is the cutest thing in the world, along with his tiny hand. can you imagine mark holding his tiny hand in his? yep :( thanks for reading this!
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/haechios) | [carrd](http://dream-run.carrd.co)


End file.
